Mailing wrapper



p 20, 1956 J. c. MILLS 3,273,781

MAILING WRAPPER Filed Feb. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES C.MILLS p 20, 1966 J. c. MILLS 3,273,781

MAILING WRAPPER Filed Feb. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVIENER. JAMES c.MILLS FIG 3 BY @www Arm/max United States Patent 3,273,781 MAILINGWRAPPER James C. Mills, Miami Shores, Fla. (2451 Brickell Ave., Miami,Fla. 33129) Filed Feb. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 347,230 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-40)This invention relates to wrappers, and more particularly concernswrappers useful for packaging flat bulk items for mailing or the like.

It is frequently necessary to package fiat bulk items of rectangularshape and fixed length and width, in many individual packages where thethickness of such individual packages may vary. While such flat bulkitems may be packaged in a conventional manner, using wrapping paperpulled from a roll which is folded to suit each individual package, itwould be desriable to provide individual, preformed and precreasedwrappers which would facilitate the packaging operations and would makea presentable package.

However, while various preformed wrappers have been proposed, they areusually adapted for use with bulk items of uniform thickness as well asuniform length and width; no allowance being made for variations in thethickness of the item being packaged. Furthermore, such known wrappersare of a complex construction, which increases the cost of the same andslows the packaging operations.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improvedpre-cut and precreased wrapper blank particularly adapted for packagingfiat bulk items of predetermined length and width but of varyingthickness, the design of such wrapper facilitating the packagingoperations despite changes in thickness in the successive items beingpackaged.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wrapper ofthe character described which includes corner reinforcing tabs, suchtabs being of a configuration and relationship to other portions of thewrapper to allow the same to be manipulated and folded in a manner toaccommodate bulk items being packaged but varying in thickness frompackage to package.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved wrapper ofthe character described which will accomodate itself to packages ofwidely varying thickness and covering a range of thicknesses where theminimum thickness may be of the order of about one-half inch and themaximum thickness may be of the order of about four inches.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved fiatblank wrapper of the character described, which is of simpleconfiguration including a minimum number of panels and tabs; which iseconomical to produce by die cutting and creasing operations; and whichis manipulated rapidly to form efficient, presentable individualpackages.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved wrapperof the character described, which is particularly adapted for packagingfor mailing or the like, of printed folders, brochures, advertisingmatter and the like in superposed flat relation, the number of pieces ofsuch matter varying from package to package, thereby varying thethickness of the several packages.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank which may be converted into a wrapperembodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the wrapper in partially foldedrelation to the contents thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the completely Wrapped package, with partscut away and parts in section.

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In accordance with the instant invention, there is provided a blank ofpaper or the like such as used for wrap ping or packaging, said blankbeing die cut and creased to form a body panel, with top, bottom and endpanels extending therefrom; each of the end panels including tabportions having converging edges. Such wrapper is adapted to be used toenclose a single item or a plurality of flat items such as folders orthe like in a stacked condition, where the length and width of the itemor stack of items equals the length and width of the body panels of thewrapper, but being of varying thickness.

The end panels and their tabs are adapted to be folded about the item oritems disposed on the body panel, in a unique manner which automaticallyadjusts to the particular thickness of the item, followed by folding ofthe top and bottom panels to complete the package.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, 10 designates a wrapper blank, in flatextended form, embodying the invention. The blank of heavy paper orother suitable material of a gauge making the same suitable forwrapping, comprises a central, rectangular body panel 11 which has apredetermined length and width, corresponding to the length and width ofthe item or contents to be wrapped. Typically, such item may take theform of a stack of folders, brochures, printed matter of various kinds,and the like, the same having uniform length and width.

Extending upwardly from body panel 11 is a top panel 12 of rectangularshape which is connected to panel 11 by a preformed creased fold line13; and extending downwardly from panel 11 is a rectangular bottom panel14 which is connected to panel 11 by a preformed creased fold line 15.Panels 12, 14 are foldable toward each other about fold lines 13, 15.

A pair of similar, elongated end panels 16, 17 extend from the end edgesof body panel 11, being connected thereto by preformed creased foldlines 18, 19 respectively, said end panels 16, 17 being foldable towardeach other about fold lines 18, 19. A pair of corner reinforcing tabs21), 21 extend oppositely from each other, from opposed edge portions ofend panel 16, being connected thereto by preformed creased fold lines22, 23 which are longitudinally aligned with fold lines 13, 15,respectively. Similarly, a pair of corner reinforcing tabs 24, 25 extendfrom end panel 17, being connected thereto by preformed creased foldlines 26, 27 respectively, which are also aligned with fold lines 13, 15respectively.

Each of the corner tabs 20, 21; 24, 25 has a pair of similar inclined,outwardly converging edges, as at 28, 29; 28A, 29A; 28B, 29B; and 28C,29C, respectively. The tab edges 29, 29A, 29B and 29C extend at theirinner ends to the juncture of fold lines 22, 23; 26, 27 with fold lines13, 15; while the inner ends of tab edges 28, 28A, 28B, and 28C arelocated at predetermined points intermediate the length of panels 16,17. Panels 16, 17 are formed with transverse, preformed creased foldlines 30, 31 respectively, which extend at their outer ends to tab edges28, 28A; 28B, 28C respectively. The spacing of fold lines 30, 31 fromfold lines 18, 19, respectively, defines the maximum thickness of theitem or contents to be wrapped.

As shown in FIG. 2, wrapper 10 is used to package contents C, which maybe constituted of a stack of printed folders or brochures having alength and width corresponding to the length and width of body panel 11over which contents C is disposed. The end panels 16, 17 are firstraised to a vertical position about their fold lines 18, 19 bringing thesame into close contact with the end portions of contents C. The tabs20, 21;; 24, 25 are then turned on their fold lines 22, 23; 26, 27 intocontact with side portions of contents C at the ends thereof.

The upper portions of end panels 16, 17 are then folded toward eachother about the top end edges of contents C, as at 32, 33. Concurrentlytherewith, the upper portions of tabs 20, 21; 24, 25 are reentrantlyfolded to form converging fold lines 34, 35 and providing superposed tabportions 36, 37 which lie between the top of contents C and end panels16, 17. The fold lines 34 will thus extend from the opposite ends offold lines 32, 33 while fold lines 35 extend diagonally outward from thejuncture of fold lines 34 with fold lines 32, 33.

The outer ends of end panels 16, 17 may now be disposed in overlyingflat relation to each other and over the top surface of contents C. Thepackage is completed by folding panels 12, 14 toward each other and inoverlying relation to each other and over the folded end panels 16, 17,panel 14 being outermost. Panel 14 includes a gummed marginal edgeportion 38 at the outer edge thereof and on its inner surface, whichpermits panel 14 to be held in adhered relation to panel 12. Thus thepackage is completed ready for mailing or the like, yet permittingpanels 16 or 17 to be pulled out for postal inspection.

It will be apparent that the construction of wrapper blank willaccommodate contents C of any thickness up to that defined by thedistance between the preformed fold lines 18, 30; 19, 31 on panels 16,17. The tabs 20, 21; 24, 25 will conform to the actual thickness ofcontents C, the tabs being readily folded and tucked as described above.The panels 12, 14 are of a depth which assures overlap of the same forall thicknesses of contents C up to the maximum thickness.

The blank 10 is die cut and precreased to provide wrappers of determinedlength and width in the body panel thereof and the maximum thickness ofthe contents to be packaged. Thus, stacks of folders, brochures or otherprinted matter of standard length and width may be readily and quicklywrapped and packaged for mailing, the tabs 20, 21; 24, 25 facilitatingthe folding operations and providing corner reinforcements for thecompleted package.

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed without departing from the spirit thereof, it isunderstood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemedillustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

A wrapper for a flat bulk item of rectangular shape and of a givenlength and width but of varying thickness, said wrapper comprising afiat blank sheet including a rectangular body panel of a length andwidth substantially equal to that of said bulk item and adapted toreceive said bulk item thereon, foldable top, bottom and end panelsextending from the respective edges of said body panel, each of said endpanels having a pair of oppositely disposed foldable tabs extending fromthe top and bottom edges thereof respectively, each of said tabscomprising inclined, outwardly convergent end edges, said end panelsbeing adapted to be folded against the ends of said bulk item with theouter end portions thereof folded about transverse fold lines coincidentwith the top end edges of said bulk item toward each other in overlyingrelation and over the top surface of said bulk item while said tabs arefoldable about reentrant fold lines converging to an apex coincidentwith the outer opposite ends of the said transverse fold lines of theend panels to provide a double thickness of said folded tab portionsbetween an overlying portion of said end panels and a top corner surfaceportion of said bulk item and a single thickness of said folded tabportions adjacent side surface portions of said bulk item, and said topand bottom panels being adapted to be folded to bring the lower portionsthereof into contact with the sides of said bulk item and the oppositeends thereof into contact with said folded tabs and to bring the upperportions thereof into overlapping relation over the overlying endportions of said end panels, and means for securing said overlapping topand bottom panels together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,440 8/1916Swortfiquer.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

